Product Package, Product Packaging and Method for Maximizing Retail Merchandizing Space

ABSTRACT

A product package, product packaging and method for maximizing retail merchandizing space for merchandizing products including a product package having an exterior width dimension, having a flange and having a hinge and positioned in the interior of a display case having an internal width dimension that is smaller than the exterior width dimension of the packages by bending the flange at the hinge to reduce the width of the packages to thereby fit within the interior of the display case.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a product package, product packagingand method for maximizing retail merchandizing space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Retailers and product manufacturers try to maximize merchandizing spacefor displaying retail product packages without changing the dimensionsof the product packages or packaging. The more products that can fit ina given merchandizing space, the less often the packages need to berestocked by the retailer. More packages in a merchandizing space canmean more product sales for the product manufacturer and no changes tothe package dimension can mean more savings for the productmanufacturer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one construction, the disclosure provides a product tray for retaildisplay in a display case, the display case having an internal widthdimension. The tray including a compartment for containing a product, aflange and an exterior width dimension that is larger than an internalwidth dimension of a display case into which the tray is placed forretail display. The at least one hinge on the flange adapted to allowthe flange to flex to therefore allow the tray to be placed into thedisplay case in the flexed orientation.

In another construction, the disclosure provides a product packaging forretail display. The packaging including a retail display case having aninternal width dimension and a product package having an exterior widthdimension that is larger than the internal width dimension of thedisplay case, the package including a tray for containing a product, thetray having a periphery and having a flange positioned on the periphery.The hinge enables the package to bend to thereby decrease its widthdimension so as to fit within the display case in the bent orientation.

In another construction, the disclosure provides a method for maximizingretail merchandizing space for merchandizing products. The methodincluding the steps of sourcing products in packages, the packageshaving an exterior width dimension, having a flange and having a hingeon the flange and displaying the packages in a display case having aninternal width dimension that is smaller than the exterior widthdimension of the packages by bending the flange at the hinge to reducethe width of the packages to thereby fit the packages within theinterior of the display case.

Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration ofthe detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the tray;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the tray;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the tray;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a product package including the traywith a top cover;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the product package including the traywith an alternate embodiment of the top cover;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the top cover of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a product package in a retail displaycase;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of multiple display cases in a retailmerchandizing space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any constructions of the disclosure are explained in detail, itis to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and the arrangement ofcomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thefollowing drawings. The disclosure is capable of other constructions andof being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, a product tray 10 is illustrated inaccordance with the present disclosure. The tray 10 has a periphery 12and includes a compartment 14 for containing a product (not shown). Onecompartment 14 is shown in the drawings, however, the tray 10 can alsocontain multiple compartments. The tray 10 includes a seal flange 16around the periphery 12 of the tray 10. The flange 16 is preferablyplanar. The flange 16 includes a least one hinge 18. Preferably, thehinge 18 is a score line integrated into the flange 16, however, othertypes of hinges such as a perforation or crease can also be utilized.Preferably, the hinge 18 is positioned on the flange 16 close to orproximate to the compartment 14, however, other positions can also beutilized. As shown in the drawings, two hinges 18 are utilized, one oneach side of the tray 10.

The tray 10 is preferably semi-rigid and manufactured from polymericmaterial by utilizing a thermoforming or injection molding process. Thetray 10, however, could be manufactured from a laminated fiber materialor other materials utilized for the purpose of manufacturing trays.

Turning to FIG. 5, the product package 20 is shown which includes thetray 10 having an exterior width dimension of W. Preferably, the package20 includes a top cover 22 enclosing the product within the compartment14, however, in other embodiments the product 20 does not include thetop cover 22. The top cover 22 is preferably sealed to the flange 16 asis known in the art, however, other methods of securing the top cover 22to the tray 10 can also be utilized such as utilizing a friction fit inabsence of, or together with, either a heat or cold seal application.The top cover 22 is preferably a semi-rigid film such as polymers (e.g.PP, PET, PE, PS, PVC), however, a flexible polymer material could alsobe utilized. Laminated fiber materials could also be utilized.

In FIGS. 6-10, an alternative embodiment of the top cover 22 is shown.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the hinge 18 on the tray 10 enables thepackage 20 to flex or bend reducing its exterior width to W′. The rangeof flexing is approximately 1 to 90 degrees and is preferably about 90degrees.

Continuing to refer to FIGS. 11 and 12, the product package 20 isdisplayed for retail merchandizing in a display case 24 to create thepackaging 26. The display case 24 has a width CW that is smaller thanthe exterior width W of the package 20. Accordingly, to enable thepackages 20 to be displayed in the display case 24, the package 20 isflexed, bent or folded along at least one hinge 18 to reduce itsexterior width dimension to W′ and thereafter placed within the interiorof the display case 24. When so placed, the width dimension W′ of thepackage 20 is substantially the same dimension as the width dimension CWof the display case 24. The flexing, bending or folding at the hinge 18maintains the integrity of the top cover's seal to the tray 10 if a topcover 22 is used.

The display case 24 can be any type of display case and, for example,can include a display ready case for a retail shelf as is known in theart.

As shown in FIG. 13, the invention also provides a method for allowingfor the maximizing of retail merchandizing space and efficiency bydisplaying packages 20 in multiple display cases 24 in a smallerfootprint. For exemplary purposes, a package 20 that has an exteriorwidth dimension of 4.75 inches can be flexed on two hinges 18approximately 0.37 inches on each side so that W′ is 4 inches, areduction of 0.75 inches, allowing the packages 20 to fit within adisplay case 24 having an internal width dimension CW of 4 inches andallowing an additional two display cases 24 on an eight foot shelf 28 ascompared to merchandizing the packages 20 at their width dimension of W.Accordingly, a retailer or product manufacturer can utilize the methodfor maximizing retail shelf space for merchandizing products. Theretailer would source products in a plurality of packages 20. Eachpackage 20 would have an exterior width dimension, a flange 16 and ahinge 18. The retailer would display the packages 20 in themerchandizing space placed in a display case 24 having an internal widthdimension that is smaller than the exterior width dimension of thepackages 20 such that by folding the flange 16 at the hinge 18, thepackages 20 would thereby fit within the interior of the display case 24thus maximizing retail merchandizing space.

The invention allows more packages 20 to be displayed in a givenmerchandizing space without having to change/decrease the package widthdimensions.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A product tray for retail display in a displaycase, the display case having an internal width dimension, said traycomprising: a compartment for containing a product; a flange; anexterior width dimension that is larger than an internal width dimensionof a display case into which the tray is placed for retail display; andat least one hinge on the flange adapted to allow the flange to flex totherefore allow the tray to be placed into the display case in theflexed orientation.
 2. The product tray of claim 1 wherein tray iscomposed of a semi-rigid material.
 3. The product tray of claim 1wherein the flange is planar.
 4. The product tray of claim 1 wherein theflange extends around a periphery of the compartment.
 5. The producttray of claim 1 wherein the hinge is proximate to the compartment. 6.The product tray of claim 1 wherein the hinge includes a score line. 7.The product tray of claim 1 wherein the at least one hinge is twohinges.
 8. A product packaging for retail display, said packagingcomprising: a retail display case having an internal width dimension;and a product package having an exterior width dimension that is largerthan the internal width dimension of the display case, the packageincluding a tray for containing a product, the tray having a peripheryand having a flange positioned on the periphery; wherein the hingeenables the package to bend to thereby decrease its width dimension soas to fit within the display case in the bent orientation.
 9. Theproduct packaging of claim 8 wherein the display case is a display readycase.
 10. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein the tray is composedof a semi-rigid material.
 11. The product packaging of claim 8 whereinthe flange is planar.
 12. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein thepackage further includes a top cover sealed to the flange and composedof a flexible film.
 13. The product packaging of claim 8 wherein theflange extends around the periphery of the tray.
 14. The productpackaging of claim 8 wherein the hinge includes a score line.
 15. Theproduct packaging of claim 12 wherein when the package is bent, theintegrity of the top cover being sealed to the flange is maintained. 16.The product packaging of claim 8 and further including a second hinge.17. A method for maximizing retail merchandizing space for merchandizingproducts, said method including the steps of: sourcing products inpackages, the packages having an exterior width dimension, having aflange and having a hinge on the flange; and displaying the packages ina display case having an internal width dimension that is smaller thanthe exterior width dimension of the packages by bending the flange atthe hinge to reduce the width of the packages to thereby fit thepackages within the interior of the display case.
 18. The method ofclaim 17 wherein the hinge includes a score line.
 19. The method ofclaim 17 wherein the packages further includes a tray and a top cover.20. The method of claim 19 wherein the tray is semi-rigid.